Barbed sutures, which are generally made of the same materials as conventional sutures, offer several advantages for closing wounds compared with conventional sutures. A barbed suture includes an elongated body that has one or more spaced barbs, which project from the surface of the suture body along the body length. The barbs are arranged to allow passage of the barbed suture in one direction through tissue but resist movement of the barbed suture in the opposite direction. Thus, one advantage of barbed sutures has been the provision of a non-slip attribute.
Barbed sutures are known for use in cosmetic, laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. Using barbed sutures enables the placement of tension in tissue with less slippage of the suture in the wound. The number of suture barbs may be influenced by the size of the wound and the strength required to hold the wound closed. Like a conventional suture, a barbed suture may be inserted into tissue using a surgical needle.
Bioactive agents such as antimicrobial agents have been associated with surgical devices such as to prevent microbial infections during the wound healing process. It is also known to coat surgical sutures with antimicrobial compounds to prevent and treat microbial infections.
While antimicrobial agents have been used for surgical sutures and wound dressings to prevent infections, a continuing need exists for improved barbed sutures that can remain in vivo for extended periods of time with enhanced antimicrobial efficacy. There is also a need for easy and inexpensive methods of improving the antimicrobial characteristics of barbed sutures for extended periods of time thus permitting the use of lower amounts of antimicrobial agents to achieve the desired antimicrobial effect in vivo. There is also a need for delivery of other bioactive agents to wound sites to promote healing and the like.